Report by: Kevin KC Hung, Emergency Medicine Resident

Search checked by: Colin A Graham, Associate Professor

Institution: Chinese University of Hong Kong

A short-cut review was carried out to establish whether pericardiocentesis is useful in patients with penetrating chest trauma and cardiac tamponade. Seventy-four citations were reviewed, of which two partly answered the three-part question. The clinical bottom line is that there is no evidence to suggest that pericardiocentesis …